Marine "Layers"!

Gallery: LandscapePosted September 19, 2011216 views12 comments

This is from the panoramic highway along the upper ridge of Mt. Tam. You can see the marine layer coming in. It eventually was wind driven up the slopes and past me until the view was gone. I took this about 5 years ago. I know it has some technical flaws, but are they deal breakers or nits? maybe it's fine, it is for me. I'm gonna print it! For full disclosure, I had to do some low opacity cloning in around the sun to reduce the size of the hot spot, and remove some flare. I'm also posting the processing of this moment in another frame from back then too. Then, I tried to use oversaturated colors to over come the weakness in the exposure. I also cropped some, and completely cloned out the sun to get rid of the hot spot.

Now, I think I was able to use better processing to not have to make it look like a cartoon. I also did some noise removal in ACR that I hope will make a cleaner print. My only real issue is with some of the heavy shadowing in the foreground trees. Anyway, it's one of my first, and favorites. What do you think, is it saved, or am I just prolonging the agony? I know this is when you'll all tell me you like the original better, right? :^(

Large version included, thanks for your thoughts.

D200,
18-70mm,
GND-3reverse probably,
1/180sec, F6.7( yeah it was on auto)

Thanks,
Chris

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on September 19, 2011 at 10:41 PM

Here's the original processed file. It's a different frame, but essentially the same techs and situation. I'm actually a little embarrassed to put it up, but here goes!

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Cross on September 20, 2011 at 12:56 AM

This new image is way better than your first attempt. Yeah, that really looks like the marine layer coming in off the Pacific. The colors are much subdued but I think that is reality. Sun is fine, the land and veg. are fine. Love the fog. I wouldn't be embarassed to put it on my wall.

Peter

Registered on April 3, 2010, 271 Posts, 1342 Comments

Comment posted by Kent Mearig on September 20, 2011 at 1:38 AM

The overlapping layered diagonals are very cool. Yes, there are some exposure issues, but I think the message still comes across.

Registered on September 4, 2006, 237 Posts, 4748 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on September 20, 2011 at 2:23 AM

Chris,

With the exception of some red-flare still showing up in the line of trees, I'd say your processing is excellent. Including the other image helps to tell me that yes, indeed your processing is excellent. But it's also confusing at the same time since there are so many things different between to two - like the sun for example isn't present in the second post. Actually, the second post with the exception of the extra blues isn't all that bad.

But not to pick this apart too much, I still think it's a beautiful coastal image and classically California. And I can see why you still have an attachment to this one.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Stough on September 20, 2011 at 12:57 PM

Actually I like both of these Chris. The second post is obviously oversaturated, especially in the blue channel but otherwise is a good shot. I do think the featured post is quite a dramatic capture though and the better of the two but as Lon mentioned there's still some flare in the nearby trees and I do think those heavy shadows should be lightened up a bit. In any case though this is certainly a fine image and well worth keeping.

Registered on November 20, 2010, 26 Posts, 273 Comments

Comment posted by Luis Argerich on September 20, 2011 at 1:25 PM

Hi Chris,
This looks very natural and very nice. I specially like the detail on the right bottom corner.
I like the original more than the repost.

Registered on December 22, 2009, 91 Posts, 1349 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on September 20, 2011 at 3:56 PM

Chris, this is one of those images that is just really nice to look at. It is a beautiful view and has a nice feel. They both have appeal to me and I'm not so sure that I like one more than the other. Less saturation of the blue on the original one and I think I would go for that one, but really not sure.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on September 20, 2011 at 10:26 PM

Foreground/middle ground elements are really nice. Sky is maybe a bit too much. Original is pretty nice too.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Minish on September 21, 2011 at 12:38 AM

A very nice scene, Chris. The processing on this version is much more natural than your older version. The noise suppression seems to have robbed a fair amount of small detail though (even more noticeable in the large version). Still, a great scene with a nice mood.

Registered on February 4, 2006, 625 Posts, 3583 Comments

Comment posted by Anil Rao on September 21, 2011 at 2:26 AM

This is really nice, Chris. The fog rolling in from the coast has been captured to perfection here.

It must have been great to be there when you made this photograph.

Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on September 21, 2011 at 11:51 PM

Really like the depth you created with your composition, Chris. Including the grasses on the right adds a another diagonal to those receding back to the fog layer and the horizon. Do prefer the first post above as I like the contrasts a bit more. Well done.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Duval on September 27, 2011 at 11:43 PM

Chris,

I think most of the oddness was in the midground and sky in the original, So if you could somehow graft the foreground from the 1st onto the 2nd I thin that would be stellar.

Paul

Registered on June 30, 2009, 508 Posts, 1907 Comments

Marine &quot;Layers&quot;!

Comments

Marine "Layers"!